We often refer to it as Stormont, but actually the seat of the N. Ireland Executive is more correctly called Parliament Buildings. It is one of the most controversial buildings in the UK.

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This grand building was built between 1928 and 1932 after the Government of Ireland Act partitioned Ireland in 1921, an act which divided 6 of the Ulster counties from the other 26 counties of Ireland to form the state of Northern Ireland within the United Kingdom. Immediately after partition, and while the building work at Stormont Estate was ongoing, the Parliament of N.Ireland met at the Belfast City Hall and the Presbyterian Assembly building, also in Belfast city centre.

The new parliament building at Stormont Estate was designed by Sir Arnold Thornley and original plans were much more ambitious comprising adjoining buildings for all 3 branches of Government (legislative, executive and judicial). The cost was deemed prohibitive and only the Parliament Building itself was built and without an originally planned dome. It was built in Portland stone in Greek Classical style and is now a grade A listed building. It was built by Stewart and Partners and was opened in Nov 16th 1932 by Edward Prince of Wales. During the 2nd WW the building was painted with a bitumen as a means of camouflage from air raids. The paint was supposed to be removable, but in fact it took 7 years to get it off and some still remains on the inner courtyards to this day. Some damage to the Portland stone's surface was done in the process, which can be seen on close inspection.

The estate on which the building sits is 224 acres and was purchased in 1921 by the Government of Northern Ireland for a mere £21,000. Other buildings on the estate include Stormont Castle (which was the official residence of the Prime Minster of N. Ireland), Castle Buildings, Dundonald House, Stormont House, Craigantlet Buildings and the Maynard Sinclair Pavilion. In addition, the grounds contain an impressive board walk through woodlands and a play park named after former British Secretary of State Mo Mowlam.

There is a statue in the grounds by the Scottish sculptor John Knox who lived and taught in Belfast's School of Art. It's entitled Thrift is the Gleaner behind all Human Effort (1951). A more famous (infamous) statue, of Lord Edward Carson, the Dublin born Unionist who was famous for retaining the 6 north eastern counties of Ulster in the UK, sits at the end of the long drive up to the Parliament Buildings. He was also the prosecutor in the infamous Oscar Wilde case. This statue is a symbol of Unionisim in NI. The statue was unusual in that it was erected in Carson's own lifetime. Carson was offered the position of Prime Minister of NI, but, according to the author Andrew Cussack, declined on the grounds that he felt he had no real connection with the place.

The building was used continuously as the parliament of NI until it was prorogued in 1972. After the Good Friday Agreement in 1997, which largely ended N. Irelands 30 years of 'Troubles', the first election of the Northern Ireland Assembly took place.

Wikipedia page on Parliament Buildings:
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Wiki on Edward Carson
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Wiki on Stormont estate:
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